The Daily Mail has found that scores of cyclists are flagrantly ignoring 12mph speed limits in a popular London park - some breaking the limit by up to 7mph.

A cyclist has already been £50 fined for speeding in Tooting Common in south west London for going 16mph in the 12mph zone but this fine was rescinded when he challenged Wandsworth Council.

While Daily Mail was at the park for two hours with a speed gun, we recorded more than 20 cyclists breaking the limit, with the fastest going 19mph - nearly 60per cent over the limit.

Friends of Tooting Common have launched a e-petition calling for more police to patrol the park and deal with offending speeders.

Susan Edkins, Tooting resident of 29 years was inclined to agree with the campaign.

'Cyclists turn into lunatics when they come into this place,' she said.

During her years raising her children and walking her dog around the park, she said she had seen mothers 'getting bashed into by cyclists' as they left the playground.

'One drove into my husband and just swore at him,' she added.

The fastest speed the Daily Mail recorded at the park was 19mph - 60per cent faster than the speed limit in the park

'A lot do go fast and people use it as a cut through on longer journeys rather than going out for a walk or a relax', local resident Dee Kelly said

'I walk here with my mother who's nearly 100 every day and it can be dangerous and scary for her', said  resident Margaret Kowalik 

12mph signs have been put up by Wandsworth Council who have fined a man £50 for cycling 16mph in the area

The shared pedestrian and cyclist path in the park has been fitted with a 12mph sign, and police have been patrolling the area looking for speeding cyclists.

The most dangerous pathway in the park is the north-south path running adjacent to Culverden Road and Byrne Road towards to Tooting Triangle Playground, according to Friends of Tooting Common.

Here, the Daily Mail clocked several cyclist speeding cyclists speeding, with the fastest going about 19 mph

On whether she agreed with the issuing of the controversial £50 fine, Mrs Edkin said: 'I'm afraid I do. The path coming off of this one should have absolutely no cycling.' 

 Adding: 'Motorised bikes are supposed to have speed governors on that limit them to 20mph - but they don't.'

Another local, Rob, who did not give his last name, echoed Mrs Edkin: 'A fine sounds reasonable if you're riding dangerously'

'Some of these kids are going like crazy and riding around with no hands on the handlebars - they're not going to be able to stop.' 

He added: 'From what I see, most of the bicycles coming through here are relatively aware but then you've got a few young ragamuffin looking guys with dark glasses on even though its getting dark and wearing balaclavas like they're going to war.